041 Healing in the book of Acts - 1 of 2 - The Lame Man (Acts 3)

There are many references to healing in the Book of Acts. Some of these are general, others are specific.

General references include:

the disciples’ prayer that God would stretch out his hand to heal (4:30) the statement that on one occasion all the sick were healed as Peter’s shadow passed over them (5:14-16) a description of Philip’s evangelistic ministry in Samaria (8:5-8) and the mention of extraordinary miracles of healing as a result of people touching handkerchiefs and aprons taken from Paul (19:11-12).

Specific miracles of healing described in Acts include:

The healing of the cripple at the gate of the Temple (3:7-9) The healing of Aeneas and the raising of Dorcas (9:33-42) The healing of the cripple at Lystra (14:8-10) The raising of Eutychus from the dead (20:9-12) Paul’s deliverance from snake-bite, the healing of Publius’ father, and of the sick of the island of Malta (28:1-10). We will consider the first and the last of these in some detail, but first the following general points are important: It was not just apostles who performed miracles (e.g. 6:8, 8:6-8) Most of the healings recorded took place in an evangelistic context (or resulted in many turning to the Lord) Some healings were extraordinary (e.g. 5:14-16, 19:11-12) Healings were not the only signs which led to the conversion of many (e.g. the miracle of tongues on the Day of Pentecost).

We will consider two passages in more detail:

The healing of the cripple at the gate of the temple (today) The healing of the sick on the island of Malta (next time) The cripple at the gate of the temple

This amazing miracle is recorded in Acts 3:1-8 where we read:

1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon.

2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”

5 So the man gave them his attention expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk”.

7 Taking him by the right hand he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God.

The condition of the man before he was healed.

Physically he was in a desperate state

He had been a cripple from birth (v. 2)

He was over 40 years old (Acts 4:22).

He had never walked in his life!

 

And his psychological condition was really no better.

There is no indication that he had faith to be healed.

He was expecting to receive nothing but money (v. 3)

He was put at the temple gate every day to beg (v. 2).

 

In complete contrast to this we see the confidence of Peter and John

 

Although they had no money to offer the man, they had something infinitely better!

Peter says, What I have, I give you. This is highly significant.

It implies that in some way Peter knew that he had the gift of the man’s healing and that he had the authority to give it to him.

 

But how could Peter know this?

The answer must surely be that he knew it by revelation of the Holy Spirit.

Why do I say this?

Jesus himself was a man under authority and did only what he saw the Father do.

In John 20:21-22 he had said to his disciples, As the Father sent me, I am sending you, and with that he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit

The disciples were not only to continue the ministry of Jesus after he had gone, but that they were to continue it in the same way, by revelation from heaven.

Once Jesus had gone, they would receive this from the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost. That is how Peter could say,

What I have I give you

He knew by revelation of the Spirit that the time for this man’s healing had come (cf. 1 Cor 12:10)

Timing is often highly significant with regard to miracles of healing.

Since the man had been placed at the temple gate every day, it is highly likely that Jesus must have passed that way. If so, there was a purpose in the delay for this man’s healing, as we shall see.

Peter’s use of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (v. 6)

In Bible times, as is often the case today, to do something in someone’s name was to do it with their authority.

And you can only have a person’s authority to do something if they have told you, or at least given you permission, to do it!

The name of Jesus is not a magic formula whereby you can get what you like just by claiming it and adding the words in the name of Jesus

That might be getting fairly close to breaking the commandment, You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God (Exodus 20:7)

To act or speak in the name of Jesus means to do so with his authority, and that is exactly what Peter was doing here in Acts 3.

In fact, Peter is so sure of his authority here that he takes the risk (humanly speaking) of taking the man by the hand and helping him up (v. 7). You need to be very sure that you’ve heard from God if you’re going to take the hand of a person who has never walked in their life, help them up, and tell them to walk! But Peter had heard from God. That’s why he had faith for the miracle.

Faith for the Miracle

In verse 16, Peter explains to the crowd that had gathered how the miracle had taken place – by faith in the name (authority) of Jesus.

As we have already seen, the faith referred to here was not the man’s, but Peter’s. Nevertheless, Peter is quick to draw attention away from himself and to give the glory to Jesus. It was not by Peter’s power or godliness that the man had been made to walk (v.12)

Miracles do not happen for us because we are especially holy. They are charismata, gifts which come from the grace of God, and the Holy Spirit gives them to us just as he determines (1 Corinthians 12:11).

Finally, the dramatic effect of this miracle upon the people who saw it

 

They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened (v. 10)

Jesus had promised in Mark 16 that miraculous signs would accompany believers in order to confirm the word of the gospel. And that is what we see happening in Acts.

But unlike so many situations today, in Acts the miracle usually occurred before the preaching of the word, not after it (cf. Acts 2 where Peter preaches to the crowd after their attention has been arrested by the miracle of speaking in tongues)

So now in Acts 3 Peter uses the miracle as a wonderful opportunity to preach the gospel (vv.13-16) and as a result the number of believers grew to about 5,000 (Acts 4:4).

The main lessons that we can learn from this miracle No situation is too difficult for God. The impossible becomes possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not always the person in need who is expected to exercise faith. We can move in faith ourselves as we seek to minister to people, but to do so we need to be submitted to God’s authority and led by his Spirit. In this connection it is important that we learn to hear what God is saying. We can only command healing in the name of Jesus when we are sure we have heard from God and are acting under his authority. It is important to distinguish between praying for the sick and commanding their healing. We can and should always pray for the sick, but we can only command healing when we have heard directly from God on the matter. God works miracles through us in order to confirm the message of the gospel. It is in this context that we can expect miracles to happen. If we are not preaching the word, then there is nothing for him to confirm!

 

NEXT TIME: Paul’s ministry in healing the sick on the island of Malta.